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[1-News-Head]

(------------)

[VO-NAT]

On NEWS 7 at SIX: A series of brush fires breaks out in various parts of Roanoke County. They're fighting fire from the air... while another kind of state- owned helicopter is looking for speeders on the Interstate.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]

And authorities are looking for an armed and dangerous fugitive wanted for multiple murders in New York City.

[Brush-Fire]

Brush fires fanned by high winds were causing problems for firefighters in another part of Roanoke County this afternoon.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

About an acre caught fire along Martins Creek Road in the Back Creek area.
Crews soon had the upper hand on that one.
But then another five acres out there started to burn.
A chopper was called in to dump water on the woods because the blaze was coming close to a subdivision.
Officials say that one now appears to be under control, and the homes aren't threatened.
(------------)
[anchor=Keith]
[graphic=hold]

And near Buchanan, in Botetourt County, crews have been trying to put out a three acre brush fire.
That one started just off Route 622, and at one point came close to a home.
No word on what might have started any of these fires.

[Pitts-Ax]

A man was trapped in a car in Pittsylvania County this afternoon after part of a tree fell on it.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pittsylvania Co.]

He was on Route 360 just outside the Danville city limits, when a tree limb fell on the roof of his car and caused him to run into a ditch.
Rescue crews worked for about 45 minutes to get him out.
He was taken to the Danville hospital. Officials say his injuries didn't appear to be life threatening.
(------------)

[Early-murder]

A 28-year old Roanoke man is in the city jail tonight, charged with killing his live-in girlfriend.
(+++++++++++)
[TAKE PINNACLE]
Luther O'Neill Early called police around 5-30 this morning to say Destrain Turner was dead.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

When police arrived at the apartment on Eastern Avenue Northeast, Early admitted he'd been arguing with Turner, but claimed he had taken a walk and returned to find her dead.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[graphic=hold]

Later, police say, Early admitted he inflicted what was probably the fatal injury to the top of her head.

[Fugitive-Wanted]

A man who's wanted in New York City on numerous homicide and drug trafficking charges may be hiding out in the Lynchburg area.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

29- year- old Chaka (SHA-kuh) Herbert Raysor (RAY-zer).. also known as Herbert Jones.. is a black male about 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 175 to 200 pounds.
Raysor is wanted for nine murders in Brooklyn, and has been indicted under the federal racketeering statute.
Lynchburg police believe Raysor has recently been or still is in the Hill City.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 16:07:19]
[IN Q=We feel we]
((MAJOR JACK LEWIS/LYNCHBURG POLICE: WE FEEL WE NEED TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO MAY HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH HIM OR KNOW HIM UNDER ANOTHER NAME, THAT MAY NOT BE AWARE OF WHY HE IS IN LYNCHBURG AT THIS POINT IN TIME.))
[SUPER=01-Major Jack Lewis/Lynchburg Police; :00]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=point in time.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Lewis says Raysor is considered armed and extremely dangerous.
Anyone with information as to his whereabouts is urged to call Lynchburg police or Central Virginia Crimestoppers.

[Via]

A Roanoke man who was accused of beating a rottweiler puppy and duct-taping its mouth has been sentenced to 12 months in jail.
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[VO-NAT]

19- year- old James Anthony Via entered a plea of no contest today in Roanoke General District Court.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/February 19; ]

He was arrested in February after two dogs disappeared from their owner's yard.
Sheeba was beaten severely, but is now recovering from her injuries.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:07]
[IN Q=She's getting back]
((SHE'S GETTING BACK TO BEING HERSELF AGAIN, PLAY WITH THE KIDS, PLAYING OUT IN THE YARD, PLAYING WITH MAX. IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME? YEAH, IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME TO GET USED TO BRING BACK HOME AND EVERYTHING AFTER ALL SHE WENT THROUGH.))
[SUPER=01-Teresa Harmon/Dog Owner]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=after all she went through.]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Via was also sentenced to 90 days in jail for brandishing a gun. He faces additional charges, but attorneys say negotiations may produce a plea agreement.
[Tease#1]
[HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[SS=NONE]

[SUPER=83-Down 0.34 foot/Down 0.92 foot][81-Patrols]

For weeks we've been talking about the stepped-up enforcement of traffic laws on Interstate-81.
You've seen it.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=At ground zero]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.; 00]
[SUPER=01-Don Childs/State Police Pilot]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=job, aren't you? Right.]
(( At ground zero on the Interstate, traffic seems to bear down on us. It seems there's an endless line of vehicles- -flying by at 70 or 80 miles an hour.
[NAT SOT FULL- chopper]

Now THAT'S flying.
Literally flying seven or eight hundred feet above the Interstate- -Pilot Don Childs could use half a dozen pairs of eyes to keep track of everything.
In addition to navigating his State Police helicopter - -monitoring FOUR radios...
[nat sot full]

Not the least of which is the radio control tower for Roanoke Regional....
His primary task these days is to keep an eye on the ground.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:24:45]
[IN Q=]
(())
[RUNS=]
[OUT=]

Troopers in patrol cars remain the first line of defense in the fight against speed and wreckless driving on the Interstate.
But Childs can see things the radar gun can't.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:25:25]
[IN Q=As you can]
(())
[RUNS= 20]
[OUT Q=break down lane]

It may come as a surprise to the average motorist that Childs is hovering overhead... but he knows his presence hardly goes completely un-noticed.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:26:15]
[IN Q=If we had]
(())
[RUNS= 05]
[OUT Q=Really oh yeah.]

[Licenses]

D-M-V officials hope the new license is tamper-proof.
For clerks who have to check I-Ds for liquor or tobacco sales, juveniles are now on a vertical license.
There's even a bar code on the back that can swiped by a machine that registers if you're legal to make the purchase.
You get a heart symbol if you're an organ donor.
And for those who hate waiting at the D-M-V, the whole process of making the card now takes half the time.
The new licenses will turn up in our region in May.
(------------)

[Bieber]

A late night party ends in the destruction of some property at the General Assembly Building in Richmond.
By all accounts, it was an embarrassing incident that ended badly.
But those accounts are NOT coming from official sources... and that's part of our story.
[Double Boxes=ANCHOR/Microwave]

Keith, this incident happened February 25th, two days before the General Assembly session ended.
We first looked into it this week, because we finally heard the Executive Director of the Virginia Democratic Party was involved.
So we went to the Capitol Police to get an incident report.
One does exist, we were told again, but we would have to submit a Freedom of Information Act request to see it.
So we did.
Police decided to wait for an opinion from the Attorney General's office as to whether we should see a simple incident report or not.
(////SOT////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=So while]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :00]
[SUPER=02-Craig Bieber/Virginia Dem. Party Director; :12 ]
[SUPER=01-Chris LaCavita/Republican Party Director; 1:02 ]
[RUNS=1:25]
[OUT Q=a mountain.]
(( So while waiting for that we went to see Democratic Party Director Craig Bieber.
[sot 13:32:05 ]
((CRAIG BIEBER/DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF VIRGINIA: NO CAMERAS. NO CAMERA. I'LL BE GLAD TO TALK TO YOU BACK HERE IN MY OFFICE.))
[runs= :04]

So we left the camera but took the microphone and heard Bieber say:
[sot 13:33:31 ]
((VOICE OF CRAIG BIEBER: I HAVE TALKED WITH THE CAPITOL POLICE. AND THEY HAVE ASKED ME VERY POLITELY NOT TO COMMENT OR MAKE ANY STATEMENTS UNTIL THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR INVESTIGATION. ))
[runs= :12]

That got NO answer-- only a door in the face.
Next we went to the scene.
A Democratic lawmaker who's checked into the incident said Bieber and his cohorts were caught by police playing a late night version of the Senate Finance Committee ... banging the gavel on the table.
We found smash marks-- but don't know if that's the alleged destruction of property.
Bieber's Republican party counterpart has this observation:
[sot 14:36:46 ]
((CHRIS LACAVITA/REPUBLICAN PARTY DIRECTOR: IT'S A REPORT THAT'S OPEN FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION. AND I THINK THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO HIDE.... MAKING WHAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE A BUMP IN THE ROAD INTO A MOUNTAIN.))
[RUNS= :24]))
[Live= Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]

We're told by our Democratic lawmaker again that among Bieber's party was the grandson of a Democratic Senator, a Senate Clerk's office staffer, and a staffer for Senator Chuck Robb.
Senator Robb's office confirms it's an ongoing personnel matter.
We never heard back from Democratic Party chairman Ken Plum about Craig Bieber's employment status.
As a footnote, the Capitol Police Chief is hired and fired by the Speaker of the House... Norfolk Democrat Tom Moss.
[Double Boxes=ANCHOR/Microwave]

((You see few young people on construction sites these days.
Builders say professional jobs are seen as more glamorous and valuable.
But now that high-tech international companies like Koyo are setting up local headquarters, who will build more houses?
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:54:41]
[IN Q=I have tried]
((I HAVE TRIED TO ENCOURAGE MY 17-YEAR-OLD SON ... COLLEGE-BOUND CURRICULUM.))
[RUNS= :14]
[OUT Q=CURRICULUM]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 18:19:36]
[IN Q=We'll end up]
((WE'LL END UP WRAPPING EVERYTHING UP...))
[RUNS= :02]
[OUT Q=everything up]

He says local companies BEG him for qualified young students.
But he says parents steer students away from courses like his.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:24:32]
[IN Q=When parents are no longer]
((WHEN PARENTS ARE NO LONGER INFORMED OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE OVER HERE AND STILL HANG ON TO THE OLD SAYING THAT PROBLEM STUDENTS GO TO A VOCATIONAL OR TRADE SCHOOL THEN WE HAVE PROBLEMS GETTING THEIR CHILDREN HERE EVEN IF THEY WANT TO COME HERE.))
[RUNS= :18]
[OUT Q=TO COME HERE]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 19:32:31]
[SOT 19:32:22]
[IN Q=I like to be physical]
((I LIKE TO BE PHYSICAL. I DON'T LIKE TO SIT BEHIND A DESK.
BUTT BUTT BUTT
I LIKE LOOKING BACK AND THINKING I DID THAT. I WAS A PART OF THAT. ))
[RUNS= :09]
[OUT Q=PART OF THAT]

Back on the job site, Bob Flynn says he pays entry-level construction workers about ten-dollars an hour.
But with today's huge demand, he says students can name their price.
The new homebuyer will pick up the tab.
(////////SOT /////)
[SOT ]
((NAT SOT FROM CONSTRUCTION SITE))
[RUNS= :03]

So how to end this shortage?
Builders and teachers agree -- it's up to the older workers to recruit and mentor the next generation -- and up to the community to show the value of building homes.
Tina Tenret News7 Franklin County))

[Sports Tease]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Coming up tonight on the Big 7, Tech-Radford baseball highlights from RU, one of the ODAC's top coaches steps down,
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[VO-NAT]

While one of the ODAC's top teams is ready to step up with other Final participants in Salem. But the players aren't nearly as busy as the ticket sellers.
Those storeis and more in just a moment.
(------------)

Tech boss Chuck Hartman who is all the way back after last year's open heart surgery had his team stroking today.

With the bases loaded in the top of the second, Randy Martin slaps one into the outfield scoring Franklin County's Larry Bowles from third. It's one to zip Hokies.
Eric Shiflett would continue the hot batting as he singles to right chasing home John West for the 2-to-nothing Hokies' advantage.
The Hokies would keep the merry-go-round rolling in the second as another Franklin County product Gray Hodges comes up with a sacrifice fly to deep left field. Chris Hutchinson, the former star from Giles, tags and scores. Tech is on top 5-to-0 by the end of the frame.
The Highlanders would get on the board in the bottom of the second as
[SUPER=34-Va. Tech/9/Radford/4;]
Jason Fulmer grounds to short, and beats out the wild throw to first. Adam McKenzie scores. But the Hokies win it 9-to-4.
(------------)

[S-Women]

The Tech women's basketbal team will be in Greensboro tomorrow afternoon for a workout at the Coliseum and an interview session.
Earlier today, the Tech ticket office sold the last of its 3000 allotted tickets for Saturday's game with Tennessee.
Plenty of tickets are still available for the game, BUT you now must purchase them through the Greensboro Coliseum ticket office.

[S-NCAA]

March Madness invades the Roanoke Valley this weekend as the city of Salem hosts the 1999 Division Three final four.
Roy Stanley has this report.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="First audio]
[SUPER=03-Salem; :00]
[SUPER=01-Carey Harveycutter/Salem Civic Center Manager; :34]
[SUPER=01-Jim Nelson/NCAA Basketball Committee; :46]
[SUPER=01-Glen Miller/Connecticut College Head Coach; 1:08]
[SUPER=@ROY1; 1:21]
[RUNS=1:30]
[OUT Q=....news 7 sports."]
((The activities kicked off with the presentation of the Jostens trophy to the male and female player of the year.
Kristen Venne of Susquehanna University recieved the women's award.
And the men's award went to Michael Schantz of Hamilton College.))
((NAT SOT))
((Ticket sales for the two day tournament are not as good as they were the second year the event was held in Salem.
But Civic Center officials and the N-C-Double-A are hoping Hampden-Sydney will attract the local fans.))
((CAREY HARVEYCUTTER/SALEM CIVIC CENTER MANAGER:))
((JIM NELSON/NCAA BASKETBALL COMMITTEE:))
((The Tigers will play Connecticut College in Friday night's Semi finals.
The Camels will take the floor with an undefeated 27 and 0 record.))
((GLEN MILLER/CONNECTICUT COLLEGE HEAD COACH:))
((ROY STANDUP:))
(----------------)

[S-ODAC]

While the Tigers are carrying the ODAC banner this weekend, the man who has carried the ODAC's torch for many years is stepping down.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem/Last Month; :00]

Hal Nunnally, is retiring as head basketball coach at Randolph-Macon effective immediately.
Nunnally has coached the Yellow Jackets for 24 seasons and during the period his teams won 431 games and lost just 232.
He has held his own in the 1990's despite numerous health problems and bypass surgeries.
Nunnally says he'll be replaced by assistant coach Mike Rhodes, shown here on the right of your screen.

(-------------)[S-WDBJ]

[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-35 SS42TC]
[GRAPHIC=MEN'S FINAL FOUR]
(------------)
[WIPE TO PINNACLE BOARD 7505]
And right after the Terps and Red Storm settle battle in the South, the next two teams in that region will play in our second game as Auburn battles Ohio State.
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